2015
Next Dean of UCLA Engineering Selected
In February of 2015, Jayathi Murthy is selected as the first female and seventh overall dean of the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, effective January 1, 2016. Murthy was the Ernest Cockrell Jr. Department Chair and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin.
Smart Necklace Analyzes What Goes Down Your Throat
In March of 2015, a new smart necklace aims to rid us of our eating sins by automatically guessing the portions and contents of our meals. The device is called WearSens, and it was developed by UCLA engineers to provide more accountability over what we devour. The device’s co-developer is Majid Sarrafzadeh, professor of computer science and electrical engineering, and co-director of the Wireless Health Institute.
UCLA Engineering Celebrates Opening of Engineering VI
In April of 2015, UCLA leaders and prominent alumni gathered March 19 to celebrate the new jewel of the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, Engineering VI. The state-of-the-art center for engineering research and education is located in the heart of campus.
CJ Kim Wins Korea’s Highest Prize for Engineering
In April of 2015, Chang-Jin “CJ” Kim, UCLA professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and a leader in microfluidics and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), receives the 2015 Ho-Am Prize for Engineering, considered Korea’s highest honor.
DARPA Robotics Challenge
In June of 2015, a team of engineers from UCLA and the University of Pennsylvania competed in the Department of Defense’s DARPA Robotics Challenge. UCLA mechanical and engineering professor Dennis Hong led the team.
UCLA Researchers Develop New Material to Accelerate Healing
In June of 2015, Researchers led by professor Dino Di Carlo from UCLA Engineering develop an injectable hydrogel that helps skin wounds heal more quickly. The material creates a scaffold that allows new tissue to latch on and grow within the cavities formed between linked spheres of gel.
Lower-Cost, More Efficient Nanostructure for Fuel Cells
In July of 2015, a team of UCLA Engineering researchers led by professor Yu Huang develop nanostructures made from a compound of three metals that increase the efficiency and durability of fuel cells while lowering the cost to produce them. Their solution addresses vexing problems that have stalled the adoption of fuel cell technology.
UCLA Engineering Raises a Record $42.6 Million in 2014-15
In August of 2015, the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has a record-breaking year for fundraising in 2014-15, bringing nearly $42.6 million to the school. The funds support student scholarships and faculty chairs, the school’s cutting-edge new building, Engineering VI, and research programs across all seven departments.
UCLA Materials Scientists Take Step Toward Tougher Ceramics
In August of 2015, a team of UCLA materials scientists led by professor Jann-Ming Yang explores ways to create tough ceramics, a long sought-after class of materials that would be exceptionally hard, capable of withstanding extremely high temperatures and less prone to corrosion than metals, but still have the ability to become dented or deformed without fracturing.
Next-Gen Perovskite Solar Cells made Stable by Metal Oxide ‘Sandwich’
In November of 2015, UCLA researchers led by professor Yang Yang made significant advances toward stabilizing perovskite solar cells by protecting them between two layers of metal oxide.
2017
Affiliated Department of Computational Medicine
In December of 2017, the Department of Computational Medicine (previously the Department of Biomathematics at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine) becomes an affiliated department with both the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and the David Geffen School of Medicine.
2018
WE@UCLA
In May of 2018, the Women in Engineering (WE@UCLA) program at UCLA Samueli is established to enable the full participation, success and advancement of women in engineering and computer science.
2020
UCLA Launches Institute to Explore Legal, Policy Impact of Emerging Tech
To explore how new technology affects society, privacy, government and public policy, the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and UCLA School of Law launched the UCLA Institute for Technology, Law and Policy. The cross-disciplinary institute will examine advances in artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, robotics and new forms of digital media to identify the benefits and risks they represent. John Villasenor, professor of electrical engineering, public policy, law and management, serves as director.
2021
In-Person Master of Engineering Professional Degree Program
In fall 2021, the one-year, on-campus Master of Engineering professional degree program is launched with six areas of study. The self-supporting program is designed to address the needs of new and mid-career engineers who wish to pursue technical management positions, with both high-tech skills and management savvy.
Hub for Humanity and Artificial Intelligence
The Science Hub for Humanity and Artificial Intelligence is launched and is the first such collaboration for Amazon with a public university. The mission of the science hub is to address humanity’s pressing challenges by cross-pollinating academic and industry research that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to jointly identify and solve research problems, with particular attention to issues of bias, fairness, accountability and responsible AI.
Mentor Professors Program
The Mentor Professor Program is established. The initiative is designed to hire faculty with a demonstrated record of, or who show exceptional promise for, mentorship of students from underrepresented and underserved populations. The initiative builds upon the school’s commitment to foster a more inclusive and equitable environment and to promote the success of underrepresented students.
XPRIZE
In April of 2021, a group of UCLA engineers becomes the first university team to win the grand prize in the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE global competition. The UCLA CarbonBuilt team, led by Gaurav Sant, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, won $7.5 million in the competition’s track for technologies related to coal-fired power generation.
2022
Break Through Tech Los Angeles Hub Founded
UCLA becomes the first public university to host a Break Through Tech AI hub — part of a national program, partly funded by Melinda French Gates, designed to teach artificial intelligence to a greater diversity of students — bringing AI education to college students from underserved groups across Southern California.
UCLA Engineering receives $21 million pledge from Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative commits to donating $21 million to the UCLA Institute for Carbon Management to support the institute’s mission of developing new carbon removal technologies designed to combat climate change. Founded in 2018 at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, the institute focuses on developing technologies to reduce carbon emissions and accelerate their commercialization.
MAP Founded
UCLA Samueli School of Engineering launches the Mathematics Achievement Program (MAP), which aims to provide a robust science, technology, engineering and math curricula for students from underserved high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).
2023
Eighth Dean of the School of Engineering Named
In September of 2023, Ah-Hyung “Alissa” Park is appointed the Ronald and Valerie Sugar Dean of the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering — the eighth dean in UCLA engineering’s history.
Center of Excellence on New Mobility and Automated Vehicles at UCLA Founded
Funded by the Federal Highway Administration — an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation — with a five-year, $7.5 million grant, the Mobility Center of Excellence was launched November 2023. The multi-institutional hub will conduct research on the impacts of new mobility technologies and highly automated vehicles on the evolving transportation system when deployed at scale.